Mobile building with towing bracket and bracing system



' Dec. 5, 1967 5 3,356,381

MOBIL-E BUILDING WITH TOWING BRACKET AND BRACING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 3.,1966 I5 Sheets-Sheet, 1

INVENTOR ATTORNEY-5 Dec. 5, 1967 s. R. RICH 3,356,381

MOBILE BUILDING WITH TOWING BRACKET AND BRACING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 3,1966 v efi'j ynz 3 heets-Sheet. 2

ATTORNEYg Dec. 5, 1967 s. R. RICH 3,355,331

MOBILE BUILDING WITH TOWING BRACKET AND P-RACING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 5,1966 3 Sheets-Sheet. 15

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INVENTOR ATTORNEYS www w United States Patent 3,356,381 MOBILE BUILDINGWITH TOWING BRACKET AND BRACING SYSTEM Scott Rayfield Rich, Carmichaels,Pa. 15320 Filed Jan. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 518,270 7 Claims. (Cl. 28030)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to the manner ofremovably bracing the walls of a mobile building structure for towing.It includes a horizontal cross bracing system comprising two removableguy cables located at the bottom of the structure and a vertical crossbracing system comprising two removable guy cables located transverselyof the structure and intermediate its ends.

This invention relates broadly to the class of wheeled structures orvehicles and is directed particularly to an improved mobile buildingstructure.

While the present invention is applicable to a movable or mobilebuilding structure of any type, it is especially directed to an improvedmobile garage structure.

When travelling by automobile an occasion may arise when it is desirableto have a building structure or a garage structure in which the motorvehicle may be temporarily left for protection from the elements oragainst vandalism. Accordingly, it is the particular object of thepresent invention to provide a wheeled housing or building structurewhich can be easily towed by a motorvehicle and which may be employedfor housing or enclosing the motor vehicle when it may be desirable toleave the vehicle in one place for any length of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mobile buildingstructure of the type referred to, having, in addition to suitablerunning'gear, a towing bracket by means of which the structure whenelevated for support upon the running gear, may be readily coupled witha motor vehicle for movement over the road by the vehicle.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in association witha mobile building structure having a towing bracket incorporatedtherein, a truss system which will secure the structure against twistingand damaging strains and also ensure safe transportation of the buildingwhile being towed at reasonable speeds and provide for better handlingand braking of the moving structure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved mobilebuilding structure and towing bracket, more particularly a mobile garagewith a towing bracket incorporated therein, which building structure orgarage is floorless and isprovided with means whereby it may be readilylowered to and caused to rest upon the ground following removal ofrunning gear.

' It is also an object of the invention to provide in a structure of thecharacter described designed to rest directly upon the earth, a means bywhich the structure may be secured in position upon the earth.

Many other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent as the description of the same proceeds and the invention willbe best understood from a consideration of the following detaileddescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a mobile building structuredesigned in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention andshowing the structure in elevated position and in dotted outline inlowered position when resting upon the ground;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the structure looking into theinterior thereof and showing elements of 3,356,381 Patented Dec. 5, 1967the bracing system in use during movement or transportation of thestructure;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken in a horizontal plane approximatelyon the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken in a vertical plane approximatelyon the line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective detail of a coupling between a bracing cable anda rafter plate supporting bracket;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section in a vertical plane taken approximatelyon the line 66 of FIG. 3 with portions of the structure broken away;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section taken in a horizontal planeapproximately on the line 77 of FIG. 6, the section being restricted tothe front right corner portion of the structure; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional detail, the section being taken approximately onthe line 88 of FIG. 6.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings the numeral 10 generallydesignates the mobile building or garage structure which is illustratedas embodying a front end wall 12, side walls 14 and 16 and a top or roof18.

The rear end of the building is closed by a sliding door structure whichis generally designated 20 and which may be of any suitableconstruction. The door structure here shown comprises a number ofindividual transverse panels 22 and is supported for sliding movement inthe oppositely positioned trackways 24 such as are conventionallyemployed for this type of sliding door structure.

One of the panels 22 of the sliding door may be provided with the window26 as shown in FIG. 4.

The building structure 10 is designed to be used without a floor, andfor housing a car or for other purposes, it is adapted to rest directlyupon the surface of the earth as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6, thenumeral 28 designating the earth upon which the bottom or base sills ofthe structure are designed to rest.

The bottom part or base of the building structure comprises thelongitudinal side beam sills 30 and a transverse front beam sill 32.These side and front sill beams are here illustrated as being of tubularcross section but obviously they may be of any other suitable crosssectional configuration and they are of rigid steel construction asobviously would be essential in a structure of the kind underconsideration.

Overlying the side beam sills are the longitudinal rafter plates 34which are connected together at their forward ends by a transverse plate36.

The side rafter plates 34 are supported upon the side sill beams by thevertical studding 38. The studs or studding are secured to thesupporting sill beams in a suitable manner, as, for example, by means ofbrackets 40, shown particularlyjin FIGS. 6 and 7 and at the front end ofthe structure the individual studs 42 are mounted upon the front sillbeam 32 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, to which they are secured in asuitable manner as, for example, by means of the brackets 44 which, likethe brackets 40, may be weldedto the supporting beams with the verticalflanges of the brackets secured to the adjacent studs by bolts 46 or inany other'suitable manner.

The rafter plates 34 support the ends of suitable trans verselyextending rafters, one only of which is illustrated in FIG. 4, thisbeing a back rafter or a rafter at the rear of the structure and isdesignated 48. This rafter and others in parallel relation therewithsupport the roof sheathing '50.

Numerals 52 and 54 respectively designate side and front wall sheathing.

One side wall, here designated the left side wall 16, may be providedwith a suitable doorway 56 and window or ventilation opening 58.

At the rear of the building structure, the numeral 60 designates thevertical door opening posts.

The numeral 62, in FIG. 2, designates the facing board covering the backrafter and connecting the top ends of the door posts which arepositioned upon opposite sides of the opening which the sliding door 20is adapted to close.

The sliding door trackway 24 has the usual horizontal top track portionswhich extend along the inner sides of the rafter plates to support thedoor horizontally in open position and which curve downwardly and extendalong the inner sides of the door posts 60 to maintain the door invertical closed position as it is shown in FIG. 4, FIG 2 showing theopen position of the door as will be readily apparent.

The numeral 64 designates a relatively wide towing bracket plate whichextends transversely of the interior of the structure against the innerside of the front sill beam 32 as best illustrated in FIG. 6. As shown,this plate 64 extends above the beam 32 and it has secured thereto bywelding or any other suitable manner the rear ends of the forwardlyconverging legs 66 of the tow bracket which is generally designated 68.The forward ends of the legs 66 of the tow bracket are joined in asuitable manner to provide a coupling means 70 for connecting thebracket to a conventional coupling unit such as is commonly provided forconnecting trailers to the rear of an automobile and the joined togetherends of the legs 66 are also designed to be secured to a vertical jackunit 72 by means of which the front end of the building structure may beraised and lowered as desired to level the structure above the earth incooperation with the running gear at each side of the buildingstructure. Such running gear upon each side of the building structure isgenerally designated 74.

Each rnning gear unit or wheel unit 74 may be of the same constructionas the units illustrated in my Patent No. 3,108,820 which issued Oct.29, 1963. These units as set forth in the patent are mounted uponsuitable supporting shafts 76, carried by the adjacent wall of thestructure for movement in a vertical plane. Each unit includes in itsconstruction suitable spring means generally designated 78 whichfunctions in a nature of a shock absorber and which is coupled in anoperative manner with the adjacent wall of the housing for assisting insupporting the garage building structure upon the ground engaging wheels80.

Associated with each of the running gear units 74 and mounted forwardlythereof upon the inner side of the housing wall, is a jack unit 82 whichis employed in cooperation with the jack unit 72 for raising andlowering the building structure as necessary to facilitate removal andreplacement of the running gear units.

No detailed illustration or description is here given of the wheel unit74 or the jack units 72 and 82 since these several units are fullyillustrated and described in my issued patent above referred to and suchillustration and description of these units is not believed to benecessary to a proper understanding of the towing and bracing featuresof the present invention.

The bracing and rigidifying system of the present invention forstrengthening the building structure and facilitating the towing thereofwill now be described.

At each front corner of the base frame structure embodying the front andside sill beams, there is welded or otherwise secured a triangulargusset plate 84, one of the two right angle sides of which is secured bywelding or the like to the inner side of the adjacent side sill beam 30while the other right angle side of the plate is secured by welding orthe like to the inner side of the towing bracket plate 64.

Extending across the plate and connecting the ends of the rightangularly related sides thereof is the upstanding flange 86 and the endsof this flange may, if desired, be joined to the upstanding rightangular flanges 88 which border the right angularly related sides of thetriangular late.

p The corner gusset plates 84 comprise a part of a horizontal crossbracing system. This horizontal cross bracing system which includes thegusset plates and other plates about to be described, is generallydesignated 90.

Included in the cross bracing system are the transversely located orpositioned sill beam bracket plates 92 These bracket plates 92 aresecured in substantially hOI'lzontal position, to the inner sides of thesill beams 30, directly opposite one another as shown in FIG. 2. Thebracket plates 92 are each provided with the three apertures 94, 96 and98 for the purpose about to be described.

The vertical flange 86 of each of the corner gusset plates 84 is alsoprovided with an aperture 100.

The horizontal cross bracing system includes the two guy cables 102.Each of these cables is secured at one end to a hook 104, which has ashank formed with an eye 106 in which a loop of the cable end is engagedand secured by the cable clamp 108.

The opposite end of each cable 102 is connected by a loop which may beformed and secured by a clamp 108 as described or by any other means andsuch loop 110 is engaged in the eye 112 of a long screw bolt 114 whichis adapted to have the threaded end portion thereof passed through theaperture 100 in a flange 86 of a corner gusset, and secured and adjustedin the aperture by means of the nuts 116 threaded thereon.

The guy cables 102 are disposed horizontally in crossed relation asshown in FIG. 3 with the hook at one end of each cable engaged throughthe aperture 94 of a plate 92 and the bolt 114 at the opposite end ofeach of the attached cables is extended through the aperture of thegusset plate flange which is diagonally spaced across the width of thebuilding structure and this bolt 114 is used as a draw bolt by threadingthe nuts 116 in the proper manner thereon so as to pull the cable taut.Thus the two guy cables extend diagonally across the building structurein crossed relation as shown in FIG. 3 and when they are drawn taut theycross brace the building in a horizontal plane substantially at thelevel of the base forming sill beams 30 and 32.

In addition to the horizontal cross bracing a vertical cross bracingsystem is provided, which is generally desig nated 118.

This vertical cross bracing system which lies in a vertical planetransversely of the building structure includes the two cables 120 whichare arranged in crossed relation as shown in FIG. 4 and each isconnected between a side sill beam on one side of the building structureand the rafter plate at the top of the structure upon the opposite sidethereof.

As illustrated in FIG. 3 the sill beam bracket plates are disposedforwardly of the running gear units 74 and the adjacent jack units 82.

Each of the cross bracing guy cables 120 has one end secured to a hook122 which is adapted to be engaged through the aperture 96 of one plate92 while the oppositeend of each guy cable 120 is secured to the eye 124of a draw bolt 126 which is secured to the rafter plate 34 at theopposite side of the structure as shown in FIG. 4, by the means about tobe described.

Disposed upon opposite sides of the building structure are thetransversely spaced rafter plate brackets 128. Each of these brackets isdisposed approximately directly above a plate 92 and each bracket has anend portion which extends at an angle as indicated at and this angledportion 130 of the bracket 128 has a suitable aperture to have the drawbolt 126 pass therethrough to be secured therein by means of thesecuring nuts 132. As will be readily seen these draw bolts 126 and themeans of securing the same as well as their formation with the eyed endsfor the attachment of a cable, are of the same form or construction asthe draw bolts 114.

In addition to the cross bracing provided by the guy cables 102 and 120there is provided the transverse bracing bar 134. This bar 134 is of alength to extend transversely of the structure to couple at its endswith the plates 92 and each end of the bar is flattened as shown at 136in FIG. 7, to lie upon a surface of the bracket plate 92 and theflattened portion of the bar is apertured to align with the thirdaperture of the plate, which is designated 98, to receive a securingbolt 138. Thus each of the sill beam plates 92 has secured thereto anend of the cross bar 134, a hook of one of the guy cables 120 and a hookof one of the guy cables 102.

Each of the gusset plates 84 is provided with an aperture 132, or two ormore of these apertures may be provided if desired as shown.

At the opposite end or back end of each side sill beam 30 there issecured the horizontal plate 134 and each of these plates has one ormore apertures 136 therein as shown in FIG. 3.

In the employment of the present invention, when the building structureis to be transported along a roadway the hitch 70 is connected in theusual or a suitable manner with the draft vehicle and the rear end ofthe garage or building structure is elevated upon the running gear units74. The horizontal cross bracing system 90 is set up as shown in FIG. 3so that a front corner of the structure will be rigidly attached to theopposite side of the building rearwardly of the front corner bracket, toa plate 92. In addition to the horizontal bracing system the verticalbracing system is also set up as shown in FIG. 4 so that each of the guycables 120 will be drawn taut between a plate 92 at one side of thestructure and the rafter plate 128 at the opposite side of thestructure. Thus, when the cables are drawn tightly there will be rigidbracing transversely of the structure which will hold the structureagainst twisting, in cooperation with the horizontal bracing system 90,when the structure is being moved along a roadway.

In addition to the foregoing the cross bracing beam 134 will be securedin the manner illustrated.

When the mobile building has been moved to a location where it isintended to be used to house the draft vehicle or for other purposes,the jacks are employed to elevate the vehicle for the removal of therunning gear units 74, after which the rear end of the building can belowered to bring the side sill beams 32 onto the surface of the groundand the jack 72 is also employed to lower the front end of the buildingafter the hitch has been disconnected from the draft vehicle. Thus, thesill beams may rest directly upon the surface of the ground asillustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6.

The building may be secured in position after it has been lowered to theground by means of fastening bolts or stakes passed through theapertures 132 and 136 of the plates 84 and 134' respectively. Thesesecuring stakes may be of a temporary nature or if the structure is tobe permanently secured, bolts or the like may be extended through theapertures, into or through lagging or any other body by means of whichproper or desired security of the building in position may be attained.

Upon removal of the vertical cross bracing guy cables 120 it will beseen that a motor vehicle or the like may be run into the garagebuilding and also the sliding door structure 20 may then be readilyclosed as the cables 120 will be out of the Way. Also the transverse bar134 may be allowed to rest upon the ground if desired together with thehorizontal bracing or all of these bracing elements can be removed afterthe structure has been suitably staked down or fixed in position foruse.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the presentembodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, and since thescope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, all changesthat fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form theirfunctional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents are thereforeintended to be embraced by those claims.

I claim:

1. A mobile building structure embodying side walls, a front end wall, arear end and a roof, means supporting the structure for towingcomprising running gear removably connected to the structure adjacent tothe rear end thereof, hitch means connected to the front end of thestructure for attachment to a draft vehicle, guy means within thestructure extending from side-to-side thereof and cross bracing thestructure for resisting twisting and straining of the structure duringtowing thereof, and said guy means being readily removable forfacilitating occupancy of structure, said guy means comprising a firstsystem of cables in crossed relation and disposed in a substantiallyhorizontal plane closely adjacent to the bottom of the structure andeach cable extending from a point adjacent to the said front wallrearwardly obliquely across the width of the structure to a pointintermediate the ends thereof and forwardly of said running gear and asecond system of cables in crossed relation and disposed in asubstantially vertical plane.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said structure includes atransversely extending rigid bar substantially in the plane of thecables of said first system and the ends of said rigid bar beingadjacent the rear ends of said cables of said first system.

3. A mobile building structure embodying side walls, a front end wall, arear end and a roof, means supporting the structure for towingcomprising running gear removably connected to the structure adjacent tothe rear end thereof, hitch means connected to the front end of thestructure for attachment to a draft vehicle, guy means within thestructure extending from side-to-side thereof and cross bracing thestructure for resisting twisting and straining of the structure duringtowing thereof, and said guy means being readily removable forfacilitating occu pancy of structure, said structure includinghorizontal, longitudinal side sill beams, and a horizontal, transversefront end sill beam between and connected at its ends to and formingfront corner angles with the side beams, a gusset plate in each cornerangle secured to said beams, bracket plates spaced apart transversely ofthe structure and each secured to one of said side beams, and said guymeans embodying a pair of cables each carrying a means at one endattached to a gusset plate and means at its other end attached to abracket plate at the opposite side of the structure.

4. The invention according to claim 3, wherein the said means attachedto a bracket plate is a hook removably engaged in an aperture in thebracket plate and the said means attached to the gusset plate is adraw-bolt for drawing the cable taut.

5. The invention according to claim 3, wherein said guy means furtherincludes a rigid bar disposed transversely of the structure between saidbracket plates and means securing each end of said bar to a bracketplate.

6. A mobile building structure embodying side walls, a front end wall, arear end and a roof, means supporting the structure for towingcomprising running gear removably connected to the structure adjacent tothe rear end thereof, hitch means connected to the front end of thestructure for attachment to a draft vehicle, guy means within thestructure extending from side-to-side thereof and cross bracing thestructure for resisting twisting and straining of the structure duringtowing thereof, and said guy means being readily removable forfacilitating occupancy of structure, said structure includinghorizontal, longitudinal side sill beams and a horizontal, transversefront end sill beam, wall studding supported upon said longitudinal sidesill beams, rafter plates supported on said studding and extendinglongitudinally of the structure above the side sill beams, said frontend sill beam joining at its ends with said side sill beams and formingfront corner angles therewith, a gusset plate secured to the side andfront beams in each of said angles, bracket plates spaced aparttransversely of the structure and each secured to one of said sidebeams, an upper bracket plate secured to each of said rafter platesabove a side beam bracket plate, and said guy means embodying a pair ofcables each carrying a means at one end attached to a gusset plate andmeans at its other end attached to a side beam bracket plate at theopposite side of the structure, a second pair of cables each attached atone end to a side beam bracket plate and attached at its other end to anupper bracket plate at the opposite side of the structure.

7. The invention according to claim 6, with a rigid bar extending acrossthe interior of the structure and having each end in engagement with aside beam bracket plate,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,241,720 10/1917 Dornier 52-653,108,820 10/1963 Rich 296-23 X 10 BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

P. GOODMAN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A MOBILE BUILDING STRUCTURE EMBODYING SIDE WALLS, A FRONT END WALL, AREAR END AND A ROOF, MEANS SUPPORTING THE STRUCTURE FOR TOWINGCOMPRISING RUNNING GEAR REMOVABLY CONNECTED TO THE STRUCTURE ADJACENT TOTHE REAR END THEREOF, HITCH MEANS CONNECTED TO THE FRONT END OF THESTRUCTURE FOR ATTACHMENT OF A DRAFT VEHICLE, GUY MEANS WITHIN THESTRUCTURE EXTENDING FROM SIDE-TO-SIDE THEREOF AND CROSS BRACING THESTRUCTURE FOR RESISTING TWISTING AND STRAINING OF THE STRUCTURE DURINGTOWING THEREOF, AND SAID GUY MEANS BEING READILY REMOVABLE FORFACILITATING OCCUPANCY OF STRUCTURE, SAID GUY MEANS COMPRISING A FIRSTSYSTEM OF CABLES IN CROSSED RELATION AND DISPOSED IN A SUBSANTIALLYHORIZONTAL PLANE CLOSED ADJACENT TO THE BOTTOM OF THE STRUCTURE AND EACHCABLE EXTENDING FROM A POINT ADJACENT TO THE SAID FRONT WALL REARWARDLYOBLIQUELY ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE STRUCTURE TO A POINT INTERMEDIATE THEENDS THEREOF AND FORWARDLY OF SAID RUNNING GEAR AND A SECOND SYSTEM OFCABLES IN CROSSED RELATION AND DISPOSED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALPLANE.